Confiding in the teacher
by Sparring Woodpecker
Summary: Written for Swan Queen week day 4, Regina Mills student Emma Swan has something to say.
1. Chapter 1

"Miss Swan this is inappropriate!" Ms Mills reprimanded as the student started to invade her personal space.

"I'm not doing anything! I'm just trying to get past!" Emma Swan protested.

"Miss Swan can I ask you to take a step back?" Regina Mills responded in a tone that could be confused between a question and a command.

"Erm…no." The student replied in a patronising voice.

"Excuse me?"

"Well there's not enough space, and I did ask you to move so that I could get past." Emma explained. Regina's mind reeled, she had completely missed that, and she had completely miss-read the context of the situation. She must have been stuck in her daydream; the one that she had to continually remind herself was just that.

Emma was a… difficult student. Not in relation to her grades, her grades were acceptable though Regina knew that if the girl applied herself more then she would be able to do better. That was just it, Emma Swan shouldn't even be getting the grades she was getting because she didn't apply herself, and she didn't concentrate in class. Regina could barely count the number of times that she had found the girl asleep on the desk. And if that weren't enough she always sent sly smirks in Regina's direction, as though she knew exactly the sort of sordid thoughts her teacher was harbouring for her. Emma was by no means an unattractive girl; she could be very charming when she wanted to be, very persuasive. She always had a smile at the ready but Regina thought there was more to it than that, the girl always looked tired and if you bothered to look deeply into her eyes, which obviously Regina did very little, or so she told herself; you could see some kind of pain.

Maybe that was part of the attraction of Emma Swan, the mystery behind the mask of cocky happiness and indifference.

"Miss Swan…" Regina started before softening her voice "Emma is everything ok dear?" The blonde girl squeezed past and stepped away, avoiding her teachers gaze as she stuffed her hands in her pockets and glared at the floor where the toe of her boot was scuffing the worn carpet. Suddenly the girl's eyes shot up and locked onto the brunettes. A wavering smile was fixed in place but her eyes screamed a different emotion.

"Yeah, it's all cool Ms Mills."

"Well you know you can talk to me any time you need to, about anything dear." Regina responded not expecting Emma to pay any attention to her offer.

"Anything?" Emma queried.

"Yes dear. Do you want to take a seat?" Emma nodded, trying to subtly wipe her eyes. Regina noticed and went to lock the door so they wouldn't be interrupted giving the girl time to compose herself. She sat next to the girl and placed a reassuring hand on her knee.

"It's just… It's all so… difficult. I don't know what to do." Emma started in a mess.

"Do you want to tell me?"

"It's… my… my foster family."

"What about them dear?" Regina had been unaware of Emma's home situation, but that was hardly surprising considering she wasn't much of one for socialising and gossiping with the other teachers.

"They're already kinda disappointed with me and my grades and now I feel like I'm just gonna make it worse." Regina took a deep breath, she knew she shouldn't be telling this to a student, not as the first person to know anyway but she just felt so connected with Emma and like she could trust her. She knew it was wrong and she shouldn't feel any of the emotions she felt for the girl but she couldn't help herself.

"My Mother was always disappointed in me and my Father did little to stop her punishing me for the slightest transgressions. I always had to achieve the best. It got to the stage where she refused to let me see anyone for an entire summer break because I needed to get full marks. I wasn't allowed anything less than perfect."

"That's mental." Emma responded.

"I know, but the extra study did help. If you want I can give you tutoring sessions." Regina offered. She tried to reason that she would do it for any student, but the truth was that Emma was different.

"That… that would be good." Emma responded but made no effort to move; neither did Regina, sensing the girl had more to say and also not quite wanting to remove her hand from Emma's knee quite yet.

"There's… there's something else. I don't expect you to get it."

"Try me Miss Swan."

"They'll send me back for this one, again. I don't want to move again."

"You're almost eighteen Emma; they can't do anything to you then."

"There's still a few months."

"And I'll make sure that for those few months you'll be ok." Emma laughed dryly. "Care to fill me in on the joke Miss Swan?"

"So you think you can help me when I'm homeless or the systems trying to move me to another state?"

"If there really is an issue then I will be able to do something." Regina promised both Emma and herself, she would take the girl in herself if she had to.

"You're a student teacher, you can't do a thing." Emma shot back.

"Well that's debatable but at the moment we are discussing a hypothetical issue."

"I… argh, I can't hide it from them much longer and it completely sucks cause I already know how they're gonna respond."

"You might be over thinking it, or they might act differently out of love."

"Ha, they don't love me, they get paid to keep me fed, watered and dry, that is it. And even if that weren't true; which it is; their homophobia's too deep set to shake."

"Oh Emma." Regina sighed, smoothing her thumb soothingly over the blonde's knee. "I get it, I really do."

"You do?" Emma asked looking up at the teacher. She was so close.

"Yes." Regina breathed out. Emma slowly, hesitantly raised a hand to Regina's cheek as she leaned in to carefully touch lips in a soft kiss full of emotion. Regina's heart exploded as she returned the affection.

Suddenly Emma jumped back.

"No! I'm not doing this! This, argh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to… crap! You're a teacher! Why?"

"Why am I a teacher?" Regina asked a little dazed.

"No, why do I have feelings for you?" Emma asked aggressively.

"Why do I have feelings for you?" Regina returned equally aggressively.

"You what?" Emma asked and Regina's hands flew to her mouth as she realised what she had admitted to that wonderfully infuriating girl. Emma moved closer to the other woman again and this time Regina couldn't help herself but to launch herself at the girl, pressing a passionate kiss to her lips as strong arms supported her. Emma didn't even think as she allowed Regina to deepen the kiss, instead of complaining and pushing her away like she should have done, she wrapped her arms tighter.

They pulled away from each other both breathless and with small smiles.

"We can work this out." Regina promised.

"Please…" Emma started unsure of what she wanted to say.

"Please what Emma dear?"

"Please… kiss me again." Emma responded with a slight smirk.

"Gladly." Regina secured her arms around Emma's neck and brought them together, vowing to find a way to never let her go.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So this was gonna be a one-shot but thanks to stonehearts, foreverfaandoms and Amy-REGALMEMBER for reviewing and causing my mind to wander :)**

Regina couldn't help softly smiling as Emma exited, throwing a charming smile over her shoulder as she hurried to the bus stop. As soon as the blonde left Regina turned her phone on and turned the volume up so she would hear if Emma called her. She collected her belongings and locked the room, heading to the staff room to give the classes work and the keys to the teacher that she was paired with, an ironically named Mr Small.

She found that he wasn't in the staff room like she expected however Miss Blanchard was. She annoyed Regina to no end but she was tolerant of the woman. She was a nice, caring person, she was just a bit too naïve for Regina to take her seriously.

"How was your day Regina?" She asked politely, grabbing another mug from the stand to pour Regina a coffee.

"Erm…" Regina tried to force the blush back down from her face. She was sure Mary-Margaret Blanchard had not seen it, either way it wasn't commented on. "I'm not sure I'm really flourishing in Mr Small's class."

"Why's that?"

"I don't do anything and his class are pretty self-reliant, they don't ask for help and I don't really have much to do during lesson." This wasn't a lie, she did feel bored in Mr Small's class but she had been content to sit it out just to finish her placement.

"You probably just need to earn their trust before they'll come to you for advice and help." Regina couldn't hide the blush this time. "Unless that's the reason behind this. Has one of the students said something to you that you feel uncomfortable with and not sure if you should tell anyone?" Mary-Margaret pried.

Regina shrugged non-committaly as she took the mug from Mary-Margaret.

"You know you can trust me, I'm the soul of discretion. I can assure you, I'm as silent as the grave."

Regina refused to shift uncomfortably, there were few things she was grateful to her Mother over, but this ability was one of them. "I'd just rather not be in his class. Do you know if it's possible to transfer?"

Mary-Margaret appeared to consider this for a moment as she took a sip of her coffee. "I would be more than willing to have you assist in my classes. You would have to talk to your supervisor and to the principal but I don't see an issue with it." Regina weighed up the options; she didn't particularly find the idea of spending at least 6 hours a day in this woman's company but on the other hand then it would be a bit less bad to kiss Emma again, and again, and again.

Regina just started thanking Mary-Margaret when her phone rang. She quickly snatched it up.

"Hello."

"Regina, I can't do it." Came Emma's slightly panicky voice. "They'll kick me out."

Regina hushed Emma before responding in words. "It'll be ok Emma, I've got you. You can do it and we will deal with the fall out together."

"Together?"

"Together." Regina confirmed.

"Promise?" Emma asked in a watery voice.

"I promise that nothing bad will happen Emma."

"Ok, I'll, bye then."

"Goodbye dear." Regina waited until Emma hung up before putting her phone away. Mary-Margaret gave Regina a pointed look.

"Emma? Is that one of your Uni friends?" Mary-Margaret gossiped. Regina restrained an eye roll.

"Emma is someone who I… Emma's just facing a few issues." Regina settled with a simple truth.

"Anything I can help with?" The woman seemed so concerned that Regina couldn't help but respond without thought.

"Perhaps. You have a spare room don't you?" Mary-Margaret nodded in an uncertain way, Regina took a deep breath before launching head first into her idea. "Emma Swan thinks she's about to be kicked out of her foster home and she needs somewhere to go so the system doesn't move her."

"That was a bit… friendly for a conversation with Emma Swan."

"She just…" Regina faded off as a smile spread across the other teachers face.

"She's the real reason you want to move classes isn't she?" Regina tried to hide her blush but she couldn't.

"And Emma, how does she feel?"

"You just said that conversation was friendly for Emma Swan." Regina replied wryly causing Mary-Margaret to squeal.

"I'm so happy. Love is such an amazing feeling Regina. David and I would be more than happy to assist Emma." Mary-Margaret continued to make utterances of delight but Regina tuned them out until her phone rang again.

"They did it, they kicked me out." Emma's flat voice came over the phone. "I'll be back at the school in about an hour once I've packed my bags and got the bus."

"I can pick you up if you want."

"Yeah, what's gonna happen Regina?"

"Don't worry it's all sorted. Mary-Margaret said you can have her spare room."

"Miss Blanchard?" Emma exclaimed slightly incredulously. "You want me to stay with the teacher I had last year."

"There's not another alternative available. I simply don't have the room, as you pointed out I'm a student so it's this or nothing." Emma sighed heavily before agreeing.

"I've got to pick Emma up." Regina explained to Mary-Margaret who scribbled down an address for her. Regina thanked the woman who within the last couple of minutes had drastically improved in her estimation. She got into her Benz and drove to the address that was listed on the school records as Emma's current address.

Emma sat outside, crouched against the wall with a duffle bag and her school rucksack.

"Is this it?" Regina asked causing Emma to jump slightly before quickly removing her headphones as she smiled up at the brunette before whistling.

"Nice ride."

"Answer the question Emma." Regina responded in a dry tone for lack of anything else to say.

"Yeah, I'm not sentimental and you don't get much in the system." Regina evaluated Emma's bags and determined that she would have to go on a shopping spree with her some when. When her mother and father had died all their estate was left to her so it wasn't like Regina was short on money, her family had been relatively well off.

Emma threw her bags in the boot before climbing into the passenger seat. Their eyes met and Regina leaned forward to slowly kiss Emma, still unable to believe that she could. "Are you ok?"

"I've been thrown out before, it's nothing new." Emma shrugged but Regina could sense the feelings of abandonment that Emma had. The hatred for the last foster family in which Regina had assumed had been a long line of them.

"How many times?" Regina asked curiously.

"Erm, a lot." Emma replied with a crooked smile. "I've been in the system since I was a baby, like literally I was a new born found on the edge of a road with a blanket saying Emma and that is it." Regina knew Emma wouldn't appreciate her sympathy so she stayed quiet. They drove around for a bit as Regina was a bit uncertain as to where the address was but neither minded, Regina had turned on the radio and was enjoying Emma humming along, and occasionally softly singing. She didn't strike Regina as the type to be shy but it almost seemed like it as she barely whispered the lyrics. It was sort of endearing.

Eventually they reached the address; a man opened the door, smiling down at the two women. "Mary-Margaret they're here!" He shouted over his shoulder before grinning at Emma.

"You must be Emma, please come in, both of you." He held the door wide and the two women entered the apartment. It had an open plan ground floor with a bed in a curtained off area and stairs leading up to another room which Mary-Margaret was just exiting. She smiled down at the girls.

"Hi Emma. I've just finished making your bed."

"Erm, thanks Miss Blanchard."

"Don't be silly, call me Mary-Margaret, and this is my partner David."

"Er, ok."

"Where's the rest of your stuff, I'll help you get it in." David said helpfully, he seemed like a kind man and he helped to calm Emma and Regina down just with his presence.

"That's it." Regina replied for Emma, slipping her hand into hers and ignoring Mary-Margaret's nearly inaudible squeal.

"Thanks Miss, Mary-Margaret and David, for y'know taking me in."

"That's quite alright sweetie." Regina glanced at her watch and sighed.

"I have to get going. I need to see my course supervisor."

"Don't worry Regina; we'll take good care of Emma." Regina merely nodded before turning to leave. Emma followed her outside and kissed her goodbye.

"Thank you Regina." Emma murmured into the kiss and both couldn't help but smile. This could turn out well, really well.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry it's been a while but I've had lots of college work and as exams approach I will not promise regular updates but I can promise you I do know where this story is going so it will get there eventually. Anyways thanks for all the reviews favs and follows etc. X**

"Is there anything you don't eat Emma?" Mary-Margaret inquired, poking her head around the door to Emma's new bedroom.

"Nah, Miss… erm, Mary-Margaret." A soft smile appeared on the woman's face at being addressed like this. "I'll eat anything."

"Good, good. Well in that case dinner will be ready in about an hour. Please make yourself at home."

Emma nodded as she sat perched on the bed, her bed, and surveyed the room which was to be her new room. There were lots of pastel and floral themes going on but it wasn't the worse place Emma had lived, not by a long shot. And Mary-Margaret was a nice person, from what Emma could tell from the time she had had her as a teacher last year.

Emma slowly moved about the room, placing her few belongings in random places and moving them around until she was satisfied, just trying to fill the time until she was called down to dinner. Usually first meals were slightly awkward but Emma had been through enough of them that she no longer dreaded them.

This time however was different to all the previous homes she had been at because she already knew Mary-Margaret. She leant that David worked at the local animal shelter but was currently in the process of applying for a job in the police. Mary-Margaret had always wanted to work with younger kids and was waiting for an opportunity to apply for the local elementary school. Reading between the lines Emma also guessed that the couple wanted a child of their own.

This didn't sit right with Emma. Sure she should be happy for them and it wasn't like this was permanent, just a few months, but all the same she felt kind of side lined. The first foster family that she had been put with had been lovely, amazing people, up until the young couple found they were expecting a child of their own and sent her back.

"Erm, can I use the phone?" Emma asked after Mary-Margaret and David forbade her from helping with the washing up.

"Sure. It's just over there." David waved the dishcloth vaguely.

"Right, thanks. I might take a while; I need to talk to my social worker."

"Oh, of course honey!" Mary-Margaret exclaimed. "We should have done that earlier!"

"Don't worry. Phil doesn't really care. He didn't report me missing for week after I ran away last time." David tried to hide his scowl at that and elbowed Mary-Margaret to warn her not to pry.

/

Emma could have used her mobile but it gave her more credibility if she phoned from a landline as well as the fact it gave Phil her new contact number.

After a long argument with Phil about not taking matters into her own hands which ended with David taking over Emma went back up to her room and slumped onto her bed to text Regina.

[Wanna know the reason the family gave for kicking me out this time?]

She threw the phone on the bed and stared at the ceiling, waiting for the beep in response.

[Nothing good I'm assuming dear]

[Satanic practices. Anyone would think I was attempting to summon demons. But it's all sorted with social]

[I've cleared my class transfer with my course supervisor. Though he has advised that we still keep our relationship quiet until you are 18 anyway]

[Ok, we can do that. It's only a few months.]

[Yes dear. But for now you'll have to excuse me. I have work I need to be getting on with, and I know you have homework ;)]

Emma sighed. This was probably going to be the biggest nuisance ever, dating a teacher and living with a teacher. There is no way she could get out of not doing assignments or revision now. Ah well, whatever this thing she had with Regina was exactly it might just be worth it. It might really be worth it.

/

The next morning Regina came round early, it was fortunate that David and Mary-Margaret were early risers and on school days Emma liked to get up early, she could always catch up with sleep at the weekends.

"Morning Regina. Do come in, you can have a look at my lesson plans whilst Emma finishes getting ready."

"No, I'm ready." Emma bounded up to the brunette, practically beaming.

"You haven't had breakfast." Mary-Margaret countered.

"I'll be fine." Emma shrugged, unaccustomed to having breakfast at many of her foster homes.

"No, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Go put some bread in the toaster and make yourself a bowl of cereal. It's not up for discussion." Mary-Margaret ordered sternly but kindly, motherly, Emma supposed was the term you could use.

Regina was pleased to see that Emma was being well taken care of, especially as time progressed she got more and more insight into issues that Emma must have faced in the past, not that she wanted to pry. It was Emma's private life but if she wanted to share then Regina would be more than happy to listen.

Regina followed the pair into the house and sat down with Mary-Margaret to discuss what she would be doing in her class over the upcoming days whilst Emma perused the cupboards to see what food was on offer.

/

Regina drove Emma to school; it was still early so it wasn't like anyone would see them. Emma gave her a quick kiss before heading of to Granny's Dinner, just around the corner from the school, where she was going to meet her friend Ruby like she did most mornings before school.

Regina was aware that Ruby was the granddaughter of Granny Lucas who owned the dinner and she worked both as a waitress and occasionally helping out in the bed and breakfast linked to the dinner. However she herself needed to go in and see Mr Small and explain that she was no longer in his class. Not that it would make much of difference whether she was there or not.

Regina dropped her belongings off in the staff room before making the teacher a strong cup of coffee, just the way he liked it in the morning. As she waited for the man to arrive she ran over in her head what she would say.

"Ah, Regina." The man in question interrupted her thoughts.

"Mr Small. I made you coffee." Regina offered the mug to the man and he took it with a curious look on his face.

"Can I help you with something Ms Mills?"

"Yes. My course supervisor and I have agreed that perhaps it would be best for me to transfer classes as your class are exceedingly independent and whilst that is a very admirable quality it does little to help me gain experience in the field of teaching."

"Ah, is that so? Well I suppose they are quite bright." Mr Small responded, sounding kind of smug. "Well if your course supervisor thinks it's for the best then I won't stand in your way. As a matter of interest though which school are you transferring to?"

"Oh, I'm staying here. I've just moved to Miss Blanchard's class. She assures me that they are more reliant that your group, many of whom she taught last year."

The man nodded and slipped on his glasses as he scanned the morning paper whilst sipping the coffee Regina had made him. Deciding that the matter was settled Regina headed off to Mary-Margaret's classroom, she liked to get a feel of a room before the students arrived and also liked to know the home of various objects like scissors, coloured pens, paper, whiteboards, whiteboard markers and so forth. And although she already knew the teacher she always liked to make a good first impression and to Regina this would be the first impression Miss Blanchard would have of her in a professional capacity and she intended to make the best of it.


End file.
